The field of the present invention is electronic processing systems and methods for entering, manipulating, and using data collaboratively. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process operating on an electronic computer system for selectively and variably applying and using structure with associated data, and enabling collaboration with that data.
Many tasks require a person to creatively generate and manipulate data to solve problems. Often, people operate most creatively and flexibly with unstructured data. For example, brainstorming techniques exist where one or more people creatively generate ideas and data, and collect and view the brainstorming data in an open and sharing environment. Such an open and unstructured environment leads to highly creative and flexible solutions to complicated problems.
In working with highly unstructured data, it is common to use a chalkboard, whiteboard, or other informal mechanism to assist in generating, collecting, and presenting data. In this regard, the whiteboard or other data-receiving area is used to arrange and present individual pieces of data. For example, data may be written and arranged on the whiteboard, with individual pieces of data being erased and rewritten to facilitate a creative process. In another example, “sticky-notes” are used to capture individual data points, and then the notes are arranged on a note-receiving surface such as a whiteboard or corkboard. Moving and arranging such notes is easier and less time consuming than erasing and rewriting data directly on a whiteboard.
Although arranging notes on a whiteboard is conducive to creative and flexible idea generation, the whiteboard or other informal note arranging method does not facilitate easy long term collection or analysis of the data. Accordingly, computerized brainstorming environments have been developed. For example, “sticky note” software operates to allow one or more users to place notes on a computer screen in an emulation of a whiteboard environment. In this regard, the “sticky note” software enables more efficient long-term collection of data. Also, general outlining software and other such brainstorming tools are available to facilitate the collection of unstructured data. However, such outlining and brainstorming software tend to have a single, inflexible interface that every user must adapt to, regardless of the individual needs of a user.
Once the informal and creative process has generated sufficient data, the data typically must be structured and formalized to facilitate further analysis and use. For example, the informal and unstructured data may be entered into presentation software to facilitate management decisions. Alternatively, the unstructured data may be entered into more sophisticated computer software, such as project planning software, to assist in further problem solving. In this regard, sophisticated project planners are available that accept informal information and produce formal documents such as Gantt charts and PERT diagrams to facilitate project planning. Additionally, these project planners assist in setting priorities, allocating resources, and identifying a critical path. Although the known project planning software is quite sophisticated and useful, it is undesirably difficult to enter the unstructured data into the project planning software. Further, once the unstructured data has been entered into the structuring program, the data typically can only be manipulated by those sophisticated enough to operate the project planning software, which can be quite complicated. Accordingly, once the unstructured data has been entered into the more structured program, it becomes more difficult for some of the most creative users to conveniently view and work with the data.
More generally stated, adding a formal structure to data facilitates presentation and decision analysis. However, that very same structure often impedes creatively working with the data once the data has been structured. This is especially true for certain types of individuals. For example, some individuals operate most efficiently with more free-form thought processes, while others operate better with a high level of structure. Unfortunately, the “structure” people will generally be ineffective in using the free-form brainstorming tools, while the “free-form” people will be stifled when they hit the formality of the project planners. Accordingly, both the brainstorming systems and the project planners provide an undesirably inflexible operating environment.
Therefore, there exists a need for a process operating on a computer that allows for the creative generation, sharing and viewing of unstructured data, but yet enables convenient long-term collection and processing of that data. Further, there exists a need for a method of adding structure to the data and using the structure to facilitate decision analysis, but in a way so that the structure does not impede or interfere with the flexible and creative use of the data.